1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to several methods for producing electronic components with adjacent electrodes tightly interspaced at distances ranging between 10 nanometers and several micrometers on a substrate of any type that may also be a polymer film or glass, except for substrates for standard semiconductor technology such as Si, SiO2, Si3N4, GaAs, Al2O3.
The methods based on the invention find application in the extremely low-cost and simple manufacture of electronic components requiring the smallest electrode separation such as, for example, molecular electronics, polymer field-effect transistors or field emitters.
2. Description of Related Art
The State of the Art describes various lithographic procedures (DUV or electron-beam lithography) by means of which the shortest possible length of the electrically active channel within the transistor (channel length), and thereby a high operating speed, may be achieved. However, these high-resolution lithographic procedures are very cost-intensive and therefore not suitable for the application realms of low-performance, low-cost electronics.
Also, a method per Friend, published in SCIENCE 299, 1881 (2003), is known in which a vertical configuration of two lateral metallization layers separated by an insulating polymer layer is used in order to provide short channels in polymer transistors. A blade cuts into this sandwich so that closely adjacent electrode connections Me1 and Me2 are present at the sidewalls. The polymer semi-conductor (‘active layer’) is deposited over this V-slot, and then made into a transistor.
The disadvantage here, however, is that the material is deformed when pressed into the cut slot, and the opposing sidewalls of the channel are positioned very close to each other. The active layer subsequently deposited cannot be evenly distributed because of meniscus formation.
A method to produce contact structures within semi-conductor components is knows from DE 198 19 200 A1 according to which a recess is formed in the substrate using a mask. Two separate electrode structures may be applied to it by deposition of a conducting material and creation of flanks for the recess.